CAES. CAESAR, for his rule, and for fo much stuffe As fortune puts in his hand, shall dispose it (As if his hand had eyes, and foule, in it) With worth, and iudgement. "Hands, that part with "Or will reftraine their vfe, without defert; "And quite reie&t her: feu'ring their eftates 60 65 CAES. EQVES. VIRGIL is now at hand, imperiall Caesar. Fetch a 70 chaire, And fet it on our right hand; where 'tis fit, I doubt not, he hath finifht all his Eneids, And likelieft to enuy, or to detra&t? HORA. CAESAR speakes after common men, in this, To make a difference of me, for my pooreneffe: 75 80 As if the filth of pouertie funke as deepe Into a knowing spirit, as the bane Of riches doth, into an ignorant foule. No, CAESAR, they be path-leffe, moorish minds, 85 That being once made rotten with the dung But knowledge is the nectar, that keepes fweet 67 Enter some of the Equestrian order. G Enter an Eques. N 75 *Viz. . . . Tibullus.] om. Q, W, G *Viz.] om. N And for my foule, it is as free, as CAESARS : CAES. Thankes, HORACE, for thy free, and holsome 90 [332] Which pleaseth CAESAR more, then feruile fawnes. 95 "A flatterd prince foone turnes the prince of fooles. And for thy fake, wee'll put no difference more Say then, lou'd HORACE, thy true thought of VIRGIL. 100 By many reuolutions of difcourfe (In his bright reasons influence) refin'd From all the tartarous moodes of common men; Of a right heauenly bodie: most seuere 105 In fashion, and collection of himselfe, And then as cleare, and confident, as Iove. GALL. And yet so chaste, and tender is his eare, In fuffering any fyllable to paffe, That, he thinkes, may become the honour'd name That all the lasting fruits of his full merit In his owne poemes, he doth still distaste: As if his mindes peece, which he stroue to paint, 115 TIBV. But, to approue his workes of foueraigne worth, This obferuation (me thinkes) more then ferues: 114 Piece 1692, 1716, W, G peace N 120 CAES. You meane, he might repeat part of his workes, As fit for any conference, he can vie? TIBV. True, royall CAESAR. CAES. Worthily obferu'd: And a moft worthie vertue in his workes. What thinks materiall HORACE, of his learning? 125 HORA. His learning labours not the schoole-like gloffe, That most confifts in ecchoing wordes, and termes, 130 Nor any long, or far-fetcht circumstance, Of all the worth and firft effects of artes. 135 That it shall gather ftrength of life, with being, And liue hereafter, more admir'd, then now. CAES. This one confent, in all your doomes of him, [333] And mutuall loues of all your feuerall merits, Argues a trueth of merit in you all. 140 CESAR, VIRGIL, MECOENAS, GAL LVS, TIBVLLVS, HORACE, EQVITES RO. Ee, here comes VIRGIL; we will rife and greet him: SE Welcome to CAESAR, VIRGIL. CAESAR, and VIRGIL (Of his expreffed greatneffe) shall be made 126 'Tis worthily Q fetch 1692 SCENA SECVNDA. Q I Cæsar. Q, 1716, W 5 Where are thy famous Eneids? doe vs grace VIRG. eyes, Worthleffe they are of CAESARS gracious If they were perfect; much more with their wants: Be satisfied with any other feruice, I would not fhew them. CAES. VIRGIL is too modeft; Shew them, fweet VIRGIL. VIRG. Then, in fuch due feare, As fits presenters of great workes, to CAESAR, I humbly fhew them. CAES. Let vs now behold A humane foule made visible in life; And more refulgent in a senselesse paper, 20 Read, read, thy felfe, deare VIRGIL, let not me "Beft matter, badly showne, fhewes worse, then bad. 25 VIRG. It will be thought a thing ridiculous To prefent eyes, and to all future times A groffe vntruth; that any poet (void 30 Of birth, or wealth, or temporall dignity) Should, with decorum, tranfcend CAESARS chaire. wonder. CAES. The course of heauen, and fate it felfe, in this Will CAESAR Croffe; much more all worldly custome. 35 10 are yet W, G 1692 wordlings W 20 Compliment 1716, W, N 34 Worldings [334] HORA. "Cuftome, in courfe of honour, euer erres: "And they are best, whom fortune least preferres. CAES. HORACE hath (but more strictly) spoke our thoughts. The vast rude fwinge of generall confluence Is, in particular ends, exempt from sense: And therefore reason (which in right should be 40 From thofe, whom cuftome rapteth in her preaffe. 45 We here haue turn'd thy booke, doe thou first reade. VIRG. Great CAESAR hath his will: I will afcend. 'Twere fimple iniurie to his free hand, That sweepes the cobwebs, from vn-vsed vertue, 50 And makes her fhine proportion'd, to her worth, CAES. Gentlemen of our chamber, guard the doores, And let none enter, peace. Begin, good VIRGIL. 55 Virg. lib. 4. Æneid. Of that, fell powring ftormes of fleet, and haile: *Iulus. Seeke out for feuerall shelter through the plaine; 60 DIDO a caue, The Troian* Prince the fame * Eneas. 40 swing G, N of the Equites.] N here N 55 enter; [Exeunt Equites.] G [Exeunt some Virg.. Eneid.] om. G, N 59 *Iulus.] om. G, N 58 where] 62 *Æneas.] om. G, N |